


Zip's Day Off

by orphan_account



Category: TUGS (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Manipulation, Toxic friendship, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22363534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Zip learns the term "day off", and gets one. But his day does not go as planned.
Relationships: Ten Cents & Zip
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	Zip's Day Off

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if some characters are OOC, it's my first time writing the Z-Stacks

"Day off."

Zip had heard that phrase used by one of the Star Fleet, but he wasn’t able to ask the Star Fleet what that meant. So, he asked Zug first.

“Zug, what’s a day off?” Zip asked.

“Zip, what about instead of asking that stupid question, you can focus on your job.”

Zip wanted to object, but he didn’t want to make Zug mad. After all, he was his best friend you shouldn’t make a friend mad.

* * *

Zip went up to Zorran next. He was a smart tug, he probably knew what a day off meant! Plus, he didn’t want to ask Zak because of his intimidating size. Zip went up to Zorran.

“Zorran, what is a day off?” Zip asked.

Zorran sneered, “It’s a poor excuse for not wanting to work. Speaking of work, I suggest you get back to it!”

Zip was confused, “Get back to… what?”

“Get back to your job, fool!” Zorran snapped.

* * *

Zip still didn’t feel satisfied with the answers he’s gotten. So, he went to Zebedee for one last answer 

“Zebedee… What is a day off?” Zip asked, a bit more hesitantly.

“Why do you ask?” Zebedee questioned

Zip replied, “I don’t know what it means…”

Zebedee sighed but explained, “It’s a day's vacation from work on a working day.”

Zip nodded, still a bit confused but briefly understood. But the phrase “day off” still stuck in his mind like a barnacle.

* * *

It has been, surprisingly, a quiet week for the Z-Stacks. Well, more quiet for Zip at least. He’s been assigned with less and less contracts lately, and his work had been fairly easy. He was moving a barge to a certain area of the port, when that phrase popped into his head again. 

Day off.

Zip made a face, as if he was thinking of something. If Zug saw him with that face, he’d probably say something like “Wow, I didn’t know you could think.” Zip shook his head and sighed. He decided that after he delivered his barge, he would go to Captain Zero to ask him something.

* * *

Zip slowly went up to where the Z-stacks would assemble for meetings with Captain Zero. If Zip had to be honest with himself, he was feeling rather anxious about what he was about to ask. Zip swallowed some anxiety, and moved up to the front. “S-Sir?” He called out, timidly. He waited, but there was no response. Zip mustered all the strength he had to speak up, “C-Captain Zero?” He asked again.

A black and yellow megaphone suddenly popped out from one of the windows. From the megaphone, shouted an irritated Captain Zero. “Zip! What are you doing here?! Don’t you have a job you should be doing!?” 

Zip flinch from the tone of Captain Zero’s voice, but looked up at the megaphone. “Captain, I want to ask you something.” 

“Make it snappy Zip, I don’t have all day!” Captain Zero responded.

Zip took a deep breath, “Uh- well- I was just noticing that I've been getting less jobs and contracts to do and uh… I was uh… thinking I could… I could…”

“Hurry up, Zip! Spit it out already!” Captain Zero commanded.

Zip snapped out of his anxious state, “Captain Zero! I was wondering if I could have a day off!” 

Captain Zero went silent. He then started to laugh. “Ahahaha! I thought you said that you wanted to take the day off. Aheheheh. Now, what is it that you really wanted to say?”

“S-Sir, that Is what I said. I would like to have the day off, maybe tomorrow...?”

Captain Zero went silent again. Zip was dreadfully nervous. Did he mess up? Is Captain Zero going to be mad?

* * *

“You asked him what?!” Zug asked, shocked.

"I asked if I could have the tomorrow off.” Zip repeated. “And he said yes. So, I won’t be working tomorrow. Is… Is that wrong?” Zip asked, timidly.

“Yes, that is wrong! You're suppose to help me do all the barge work, but instead you try to bail out on us And just slack off!” Zorran said.

Zip couldn’t help but feel guilty, but he tried to reason with the other Z-Stacks, “Well, I just thought that maybe I could have a rest for a while since we haven’t had any major contracts. And it can’t be too much work for you guys, right?” 

“Can’t be too much work? Zip! We’re as busy as it is, and you’re just trying to find excuses to get out of work!” Zak snapped. Zip was confused, was there really so much work that they had to do? 

Zebedee was getting fed up, “Would you guys be quiet! Some people want to get sleep!” 

With that, The Z-Stacks went quiet. Most of them tried to go to sleep. Zip whispered to Zug, “Come on, Zug. You get what I'm saying, right?”

Zug opened a sleepy eye and only said, “Don't bother coming with me tomorrow. I don’t want to be seen with you.”

Zip was confused, “B-But… But... A-Alright…” It was hard to sleep that night.

* * *

Zip tried forgetting the events of last night by focusing on other things to do on his day off. If Zip was honest with himself, he didn’t really know what to do today. Usually, it was Zug who’d tell him what to do or what the plan was. This new concept of independence was… Strange to him. What should he do? Zip looked around, and spotted Izzy Gomez. He slowly passed the larger Tug, “Buenos Días, Amigo,” Zip looked at the him while Izzy continued, “Could you offer me a tow?”

Zip piped up a bit, “Uh…” Zip looked around. Usually, the other Z-Stacks wouldn’t bother to help Izzy get a tow. Even when he would like to help, Zug would probably say otherwise. “…To where?” He asked.

* * *

One fact Zip learned was that pulling Izzy was harder than it looked. But Zip somehow managed to get Izzy to the place he needed to be. Izzy seemed really happy with the outcome, and Zip couldn’t help but feel good to know he finally helped in some way.

He slowly went to an empty part of a dock to rest there. Zip took deep breaths and looked out into the harbor, taking in the scenery. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one of the Star-Fleet's switchers. Zip squinted his eyes and realized that it was Ten Cents! Zips expression caught Ten Cents' attention, as Ten Cents gave a glare at Zip. With that, Ten Cents began to approach the Zero Switcher.

“Ey Zip, what are you doing here? You’re not planning to do anything stupid, are you?” The Cents asked, with suspicion.

“Uh, wouldn’t I have been doing just that with Zug?” Zip countered Ten Cents.

Ten Cents gave a surprised look, considering how he saw Zip. Ten Cents studied Zip's expression, trying to detect any hints of devious intent. Surprisingly, he saw nothing. Finding that it seemed safe, Ten Cents asked, “Could I rest next to you?”

Zip looked a little confused, but nodded. Zip moved over to make room for Ten Cents. Ten Cents moved next to Zip, and made himself comfortable. “What are you even doing here in the first place?” Ten Cents asked.

“Oh, I got the day off!” Zip replied. “I haven’t gotten any work to do, so Captain Zero let me have one.” He explained.

“Well, that’s new.” Ten Cents murmured to himself.

“What’s new?” Zip asked, confused.

"It’s nothing, never mind.” Ten Cents said, sighing. “Well, looks like I’ll be here for a while until my next job is announced. Since you’re the only one here, I guess we could try and chat for a bit.”

Zip looked a bit unsure, “I don’t think Zug or the others would like me talking to a Star Fleet...”

“Well, they’re not here to see it, are they?” Ten Cents replied.

“Wait, they are here?” Zip asked, as he looked around with a worried expression.

“No no, I’m saying that they are not here so you don’t have to worry about getting in trouble!” Ten Cents explained.

“O-Oh…” Zip tried not to show embarrassment, “So uh, what would you like to talk about?”

* * *

“After we helped Sunshine off of the rocks, he became an official part of the team!” Ten Cents said, finishing his story.

“Wow, I never heard that part of the situation before…” Zip commented.

“Yeah, and that’s also how Sunshine and I became great friends.” Ten Cents added in. “Er- What about you, Zip? How did you and Zug became friends?” ‘Maybe the Z-stacks aren’t as bad as I think they are…’ Ten Cents thought to himself. “Uh, what was it like for you when you first arrived?”

“Oh! Right! I remember I like it was yesterday!” Zip recounted the events of his arrival. 

“So, I was sold off to Captain Zero at a low price out from the place I was built at! It was hard at first when I got there. He said I needed to sleep out from the zero company until there could be more space for everyone to sleep together. It was cold at first, but I got used to it! The next day, Captain Zero first made me pull some really heavy barges. It was hard until Zug came to help me, and we were always paired up ever since!”

“We have so many memories together! One time, he let me pull a HUGE barge all by myself when Zug said it was too hard and he saw me as such a strong switcher! And another time, he told me to pull some fireworks like I was an action tug! I didn’t really wanted to at first, but Zug said that you can’t call yourself a real tug until you take on the most dangerous job!”

Ten Cents was shocked at what Zip was telling him. “Zip… That’s…” Ten Cents snapped, “Really awful!” 

Zip was confused at Ten Cents’ outburst, “What’s awful?” He asked.

“You know how I see you Z-Stacks as huge jerks? Well, you just proved that point with what you’ve said!” Ten Cents tried to explain.

“What- No, it’s not like that. They’re just trying to show me how to be a Z-Stack!” Zip tried to reason.

“That’s basically saying they’re trying to teach you how to be a criminal!” Ten Cents countered.

“Ten Cents, I really think being a Z-Stack is pretty different than being part of the Star Fleet.” Zip began, “Z-Stacks are not really suppose to be a family or just friends, we are allies trying to accomplish an honest living of devious Tugs!” Zip finished, not knowing that he used the word “devious” in the wrong manner.

“But that’s- Ugh never mind.” Ten Cents gave up, trying to point out the irony. “Look, about what you were saying about Zug, what do you do for him?”

Zip was confused once again, “What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, what do you do for him? What do you try to do? Why do you even listen to him?” Ten Cents questioned.

“Uh- Well… I try to follow what he does and what he wants because he’s been with Zero longer than I have. He’s the one who comes up with the plans and I just have to follow them! If I don’t, then we might get the contracts we need and Zug and the others will get… Bad... If I didn’t follow through with the plans, I would make them feel bad! So I try not to!” Zip said.

Ten Cents couldn’t take this anymore, “Okay that’s it- Zip! Don’t you see?! Zug- No not just Zug- The whole group is treating you like garbage! They’re trying to manipulate you!”

Zip began getting frantic, and tried defending himself, “No! Y-You’re wrong! They’re just trying to make me a better tug! Zug isn’t bossy, for the most part-”

“Are you even listening to yourself?!” Ten Cents interrupted, “You’re probably unsure about all of this yourself, aren’t you?” 

“No! I won’t listen! Captain Zero… The Z-stacks… They have done so much for me!” Zip argued.

“Really Zip? What have they done for you?” Ten Cents asked.

“They… They’ve given me a home and a group and… and…” Zip trailed off.

“And?” Ten Cents continued for Zip.

Zip fell silent and looked down. He couldn’t lie, Captain Zero has asked his Z-stacks to do questionable things. But it’s not their fault! These are tough times they live in, they’re just making an honest living! Right…? Then, why did it hurt so much? Why is Zip’s vision getting blurry? _Hic_.

Ten Cents' expression soften, “Zip?”

Zip felt tears started to form. No… No! He can’t cry! A Z-Stack should not show weakness! Especially towards a star! But… Why can’t he stop the tears from rolling down? Why can’t he just stop?! “I-I’m sorry… I-I’m so sorry….”

Ten Cents panicked and tried to comfort the poor Tug, “Hey- Wait no! Don’t cry!”

“I-I’m so stupid! I didn’t- I didn’t-”

“Zip, hey, come on don’t-”

“They were right! He’s always right! I can’t believe- I thought- I’m so dull! I’m so stupid-!”

“Zip! Listen to me!” Ten Cents shouted. Zip snapped out of it and looked at Ten Cents, as tears streamed down his face.

“Zip, you’re not dumb and you’re not stupid. Sure, you might not know a lot of things, but you still know how to be a Tug! You can be good if you just try! You don’t have to listen to any of the other Z-Stacks or Captain Zero! So please, don’t out yourself down because you think they’re right.” Ten Cents said, giving Zip a friendly bump.

Zip blinked his eyes to stop himself from crying. He whispered a small, “Thank you.” to Ten Cents.

Ten Cents and Zip stayed there for the longest time. For the first time in a while, Zip felt better about himself.

“Well Zip, I have to get going now… You know, if you ever wanted to join the star fleet...”

“I’m sorry Ten Cents, I don’t think I belong with the Star Fleet anyways.” Zip said, giving a look at Ten Cents.

“…Well, if you say so. Goodbye, Zip.” Ten Cents said, slowly going away. 

Zip watched the Tug disappear over the horizon. Zip thought to himself that maybe he should ask for a day off again sometime.


End file.
